- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 8 scones
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 660 kcal
Quick summary
“These British-inspired scones combine crumbly dough with 100% cocoa, generous chocolate chip filling, and double glaze. Perfect to accompany specialty coffees on mild days.”
What you need to know
- Well-chilled crumbled butter: incorporating cold cubes into the flour until it forms a coarse farofa ensures a flaky crumb.
- Minimal dough handling: combining the dry and liquid ingredients only until aggregated avoids the development of heavy gluten.
- High oven at 200 °C: the high-temperature shock activates the yeast and baking soda, causing the scone to puff up.
Ingredients
Main
- cups (270g) All-purpose flour
- cup (45g) 100% cocoa powder
- cup (100g) Granulated sugar
- tablespoon Baking powder
- teaspoon Baking soda
- teaspoon Salt
- tablespoons (170g), very cold and chopped Unsalted butter
- unit Large egg
- cup (120ml) Cold whole milk
- xícara (180g) Bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate chips
- cup (90g) Milk/semi-sweet chocolate chips
- cup (180g) for the frosting Powdered sugar
- tablespoons for the glaze Whole milk
- teaspoon for the glaze Vanilla extract
- cup (90g) for the final topping Chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- teaspoon for the final topping Whole milk
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. The short answer is to prepare the environment and utensils for an even roast.
- In a large bowl, sift and mix the wheat flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure the dry ingredients are well combined and aerated.
- Add the very cold and cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Incorporate the butter with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingertips until you get a coarse farofa, with small pieces of butter the size of peas. The professional technique is to handle butter quickly to keep it cold.
- In a separate bowl, beat the large egg and cold whole milk. Pour this liquid mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until the dough begins to come together. Do not overmix.
- Add the dark and milk chocolate chips to the dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together gently, kneading just enough to incorporate all the chocolate. The most important tip is not to over-knead; the dough should feel a little sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. With your hands, form a disc of approximately 20 cm in diameter and about 4 cm thick. Keep the edges uniform.
- With a sharp knife (or pizza cutter), cut the disc into 8 equal triangles. Separate them slightly on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a small space between them so they bake evenly.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the scones are firm to the touch and slightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- For the Vanilla Glaze:In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, whole milk (3-4 tablespoons) and vanilla extract until a smooth and creamy consistency is obtained. If it is too thick, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time.
- For the Final Chocolate Topping:Melt the chopped dark chocolate with the teaspoon of milk in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth. Alternatively, use a bain-marie for a perfect melt.
- When the scones are cool, dip the top of each one in the vanilla glaze. Place them back on the rack and, with a spoon, drizzle with the melted chocolate in a zigzag pattern. Let the glaze and chocolate topping set before serving.
Chef's tips
- Keep the butter, milk, and egg in the refrigerator until the exact minute of mixing to preserve the flaky structure.
- Cut the dough disk into 8 equal triangles with a floured chef's knife, pressing straight down without sawing the edges.
- Wait for the scones to cool completely on the rack before applying the white glaze and the drizzle of melted chocolate.
Variations
- Touch of espresso: add a teaspoon of finely ground instant coffee to the dry ingredients to enhance the cocoa notes.
- Scones with orange zest: incorporate the fine zest of a pear orange into the dough along with the cold butter.
- Rustic version with crystal sugar: brush milk over the scones before baking and sprinkle coarse demerara sugar.
Substitutions
- 100% Cocoa powder: Use Dutch-processed alkaline cocoa powder or 70% cocoa, reducing the sugar by two tablespoons.
- Whole milk: replace with homemade buttermilk, fresh heavy cream, or almond vegetable milk.
- Milk chocolate drops: use pieces of bake-stable white chocolate, chopped walnuts, or dried cherries.
How to store
Keep the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To recover the soft crumb and crispy outer crust, heat in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 5 minutes.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the shaped raw dough triangles on a baking sheet and store in a plastic bag for up to 2 months. Bake directly from the freezer at 200 °C, adding about 4 minutes to the oven time.
What to serve with
Serve with double espresso with almond notes, Earl Grey or English Breakfast black tea with warm milk, or accompanied by pure butter with fleur de sel or fruit jam.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the butter need to be strictly cold?
The solid pieces of butter melt only in the heat of the oven, releasing steam that creates the air pockets responsible for the flaky and fluffy texture.
Why shouldn't I knead the scone dough?
Kneading develops the gluten network of the wheat flour, making the scone dense and elastic like bread instead of light, crumbly, and soft.
How to cut the triangles without sealing the sides?
Press the knife from top to bottom in a single cut without sliding the blade; back-and-forth movements knead the layers and prevent uniform growth.
Is the glaze mandatory for the recipe?
No, the glaze provides a sweet pastry finish, but the scones can be eaten plain or simply dusted with granulated sugar.
